It's Always Been You
by jennabrooke7
Summary: Tony proposes to Pepper. One-shot; Pepperony


**A/N: This is a short little thing that I kinda wrote to go along with my Loki/Darcy story. This story stands by itself so you don't have to read the other one. :) Please review and tell me what you think.**

Pepper walked down to his workshop with a cup of coffee and some papers in hand. She could see Tony hunched over a cluttered table with his back to her. Assuming that he was just drawing up designs for another suit, she punched in her access code like she had done countless times before and walked in. If he heard her enter, he never showed it. She strolled over to his table and sat the coffee down next to him. There were no designs, there were no models. The space in front of

Tony was empty, save for a small black box.

"I have picked up your tuxedo for tonight's party; it is lying on your bed along with the shoes you wanted me to get. I have some papers that I gave you to sign a week and a half ago...that you never did. There is also going to be a press conference tomorrow afternoon so you can explain why you aren't listening to a word I'm saying," Pepper said looking at him with her hands on her hips. He didn't move a muscle for a few moments until he said, "I heard you, Pepper. Thank you." She said, "Oh. Well Dr. Banner is also waiting for you upstairs." Still staring at the box he said, "Yeah, okay." Before she walked away she asked, "Will that be all Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, Mrs. Stark. That will be all."

She was halfway to the door when she fully realized what he had said. She slowly turned around, her body almost completely frozen in shock and confusion. "Wh-what did you just call me?" she asked quietly. Chuckling softly, Tony said, "It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? I think so." She had no idea what to say. Tony continued talking, "You know Pep, I'm not the type of person to get married and have kids. I have never thought it to be necessary. For years, money and technology has been my wife. But I realized something: money and technology don't make me happy, no offense Jarvis." The disembodied voice spoke up, "No offense taken, sir."

Pepper couldn't believe Tony was opening up to her like this. She started to speak but he cut her off, "Pepper, you make me happy. You take care of me better than anyone. You practically hold my life in your hands. I've been thinking a lot lately about you and how I feel about you and there is only one logical answer...I am in love with you Pepper Potts. I have been for a long time now; I have just been too...me...to see it. I now understand what it's like for someone to be your other half. It's you, and it always has been. Now I know that normally people date for months or even years before they get married...but I am certainly not normal...and neither are you for dealing with me for so long. So basically, what I am trying to say is…" he paused.

"Pepper Potts, will you marry me?"

When she finally shuffled through her jumbled brain, she said, "Tony, I don't think there is a woman in this universe who could handle having you for a husband." The look on his face after she said that could have killed her, but she continued, "But, let's face it, I am the only woman who is brave enough to try. Tony Stark, you have no idea how long I have been in love with you. I've grown from respecting you as my boss, to loving you as my friend. And then I realized that I had fallen in love with you. You are the only family I have. I need you almost as much as you need me. During those months of your captivity, I cried myself to sleep every single night because I thought I had lost you."

There was a silence in that workshop that could have stretched into forever. Neither of them said anything. Everything that needed to be said had been said, save for one short sentence. Pepper took a deep breath and quietly said, "There is nothing in this world that would make me happier than to be your wife. Yes, Tony Stark, I will indeed marry you."

Tony's face slowly lit up as her words finally clicked in his brain. She said yes! He ran to her and swung her around as he kissed her joyfully. He didn't put her down after he swung her; he wanted to keep her in his arms forever. She linked her hands together behind his neck and said, "Mrs. Pepper Stark definitely has a nice ring to it."

"Ah, speaking of rings…" Tony put her down and picked up the black box sitting on the table. He took her hand and knelt down in front of her. He slowly opened the box and revealed the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. The platinum band of the ring was smooth and simple, no carvings or decorations. It looked like any other ordinary ring except for the stone set in the center. The stone was large and exquisite; looking down upon it, it looked like a normal diamond, but when hit by the light at just the right angle, the stone lit up with a myriad of colors. Reds and blues danced around with sparkles of gold. She had never seen anything like it.

"Tony...it's so…" Pepper sighed, her voice barely above a whisper. He slid the ring into place on her finger and she could feel tears welling in her eyes. Tony leaned down and kissed gently kissed her, his heart nearing the point of explosion with joy. She broke the kiss and looked into her fiancé's eyes with a slight grin, "Do I even want to know how much this cost?" He smiled back and said, "Um...probably not."


End file.
